Shading your Air Conditioner = Efficiency Increase

Shading your air conditioning systems outdoor condenser unit is a good way to increase its efficiency and lower your cooling costs. This is so because shading the air conditioner will cool down the air around it, helping the air conditioner to work less to cool the superheated refrigerant (heat removed from your house) within the condensing unit before recycling the refrigerant back to your indoor coil to absorb more heat from your house. The cooler the air around the outside unit, the easier it is to handle this task.

But can shading your air conditioner really make it more efficient? If so, what’s the best way to go about shading your air conditioner?

It may be worthwhile to shade your air conditioner if you can create a large shaded area, such as that created by an awning or, better yet, one or more trees. Shrubs and bushes can also cool the air around your air conditioner; just make sure you don’t block the unit’s air flow. If possible, place your air conditioner unit on the north side of your house.

How Much Can You Save by Shading Your Air Conditioner?

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, shading your air conditioner with trees can make it as much as 10 percent more efficient. But the benefits extend beyond improving your air conditioner’s efficiency. Shading your home with as few as three trees can save you between $100 and $250 a year in cooling costs, and can slash your air conditioning costs by as much as 50 percent. That’s because shade trees cool the air around them, by preventing sunlight from heating the ground. They also block sunlight from entering your home through its windows, to help keep your home cooler.

Air conditioners that operate in a cooler environment, such as one shaded by trees, bushes, or an awning, operate more efficiently, because they don’t need to work as hard to cool down air that is already somewhat cool. Shade can also be used to cool down paved areas around your house, and prevent them from absorbing and releasing heat.

If you live in a brick or stucco home, your very walls could be absorbing heat that could warm up the air around your air conditioning unit. A large awning on that side of the house could help keep the air around your air conditioner cooler. Awnings over other windows could help the cool air inside your home stay cool.

How to Shade Your Air Conditioning Unit for Maximum Efficiency

If possible, install your air conditioner on the north side of your house. You can still shade your air conditioner if it’s on another side of the house, but the north side stays the coolest throughout the day.

Whether your air conditioner is on the north side of your house or on another side, you’ll need to do more than simply build a small awning over it in order to effectively cool enough of the surrounding air to impact the air conditioner’s efficiency. What you’ll need to do is plant trees, shrubs, and bushes.

If your air conditioner is on the south side of your house, go for trees that grow tall and have expansive crowns with plenty of foliage. If your unit is on the east, west, or north side of your house, you can stick with trees that grow lower to the ground if you want. A six to eight-foot-tall deciduous tree will begin providing some shade for your air conditioner within a year of planting it.

To truly maximize your air conditioner’s efficiency, you’ll want to plant at least two or three trees on that side of the house. You should also plant shrubs and bushes near the air conditioner, but not so close that they hamper air flow into the unit. Bushes and shrubs help cool the air above them because they stop the ground from absorbing the sun’s heat. The more trees and bushes you can plant near your air conditioner, the cooler the air around it will be and the more efficiently the unit will function. You want to focus on creating a large area of cooler air, so that the unit doesn’t simply pull hot air from beyond the shaded area.

If there are paved areas or walkways near your air conditioner, make sure they’re also well-shaded. Low-growing shrubs may be sufficient for some areas, such as walkways. Pavement absorbs more heat from the sun than soil, causing the air above it to be that much warmer. If you have a large patio on that side of the house, it may be worthwhile to install an awning over it.

Shading your air conditioning unit can help the unit work more efficiently, cut your cooling costs and lengthen your air conditioner’s life. Trees and shrubs also help keep the air inside your house cool, and can increase your enjoyment of your outdoor space.

For all your Chicagoland heating & air conditioning needs, call Faith Heating & Cooling Chicago 773-633-7779

Annual HVAC Maintenance Will Save You Money

For most home and business owners the benefits of getting HVAC maintenance annually is unknown. Faith Heating & Cooling Chicago is dedicated to informing the people exactly what those benefits are, and how you can ensure a piece of mind when the climate is extreme, knowing your HVAC will perform at optimal rate when you need it most.

In this article we will explore the benefits of getting HVAC maintenance and how much you could actually save by making sure you stay diligent with getting this type of service done regularly.

Benefits of HVAC Maintenance

- Ensures your system's working components are working properly and efficiently: Even the smallest equipment failure could potentially cause your HVAC equipment to stop working or create a chain of problems down the line.
- Saves you money: Equipment that is running properly and clean runs more efficiently, therefore using less energy to do the job its tasked to do.
- Reduces the risk of HVAC equipment breakdowns significantly: A maintained HVAC unit is a happy HVAC unit. Maintenance on the working parts of the HVAC equipment ensures proper operation.
- Prolongs the life of the HVAC system: Making sure your unit is tuned up by a professional HVAC service company will increase the lifespan of the equipment. Lack of maintenance is the number one cause of premature HVAC system replacement installations that could get expensive.
- Saves 30%-60% on energy bills: There is a big difference in energy consumption when you compare a home heating and air conditioning systems energy usage that is maintained and one that is not maintained. This adds up after a short period of time, let alone during the entire average HVAC equipment lifespan of 12-15 years .
- HVAC systems life span increases 6-11 years: HVAC maintenance increases the equipment life span quite a bit longer than if you neglect your equipment. The average lifespan is 8-9 years without maintenance, and 15-20 years with regular maintenance.

Management Approaches to Capture HVAC Maintenance Savings

Often, energy savings opportunities through maintenance are missed. There are three basic approaches to maintaining HVAC systems in homes and buildings.

1. Reactive HVAC maintenance. Under this management practice, used by 55 percent of companies, HVAC systems run until a problem or failure occurs.14 (This strategy also called run-to-fail maintenance.)
2. Preventive HVAC (or scheduled) maintenance. This practice, used by 31 percent of companies, the periodic maintenance of HVAC equipment, generally as prescribed by the manufacturers.
3. Predictive HVAC maintenance. Practiced by 12 percent of companies, this strategy differs from preventive maintenance by basing maintenance on the actual condition of the machine, rather than on a preset schedule. Predictive maintenance can be the most cost-effective over the long term, but does require technology infrastructure investments up front.

So in Conclusion: Regularly scheduled maintenance of HVAC systems can increase the energy efficiency along with improving comfort and equipment life. While the initial data is encouraging, more quantification of the energy savings will lead more building owners to become interested in regular maintenance for their HVAC systems. More studies are needed to accurately quantify the energy savings from varying maintenance strategies, as well as the return on investment from maintenance activities. The HVAC industry can develop better tools to help building owners and facility managers evaluate the relationship between maintenance costs and energy costs and support investment in the appropriate maintenance approach. We intend on doing just that.

For information regarding HVAC maintenance, and anything else related to HVAC service, please call 773-633-7779 to speak with a veteran HVAC technician or visit faithheatingcooling.com for more.

Chicago Air Conditioning Repair Service for Less!

Do you need a quality air conditioning repair service in Chicago for a better price?

If so, you have found the right blog post. Faith Heating & Cooling Chicago is offering free diagnosis on all air conditioner repair services in Chicago for the rest of August as part of a end of summer AC service sale promotion.

Faith has experienced air conditioning repair technicians who are friendly, professional and even better,.. affordable! Thats right Chicago. When you get your air conditioner repaired by Faith Heating & Cooling Chicago you will not be charged a trip charge, service fee for the diagnosis ($89.00 value)*

So give Faith Heating & Cooling Chicago a call and find out what a difference Faith makes today! 773-633-7779 faithheatingcooling.com

For all your Chicago HVAC needs.

*Free service call when repair is done by us. $89.00 normally.

Chicago's End of Summer Air Conditioner Replacement Discount (limited time only)

Summer in Chicago is getting close to being over already believe it or not. With that in mind, Faith Heating & Cooling Chicago is offering a one time only end of summer air conditioning replacement installation blowout sale on our installation services to all Chicagoland customers for just a limited time.

We are offering 13 seer AC units for as low as $1500 installed! Yes, thats $1500 only! Your installation will include a indoor coil replacement, and outdoor condensing unit installation all for that low price.

Warranties included are a 5 year parts warranty along with a 2 year service labor warranty with all installations of new air conditioning equipment.*

Call Faith Heating & Cooling Chicago to find out more today! 773-633-7779 or visit our website for more information on how you can get your new air conditioner for this super low installation price today.

For all your HVAC repair, installation and maintenance needs.

Differences between Aluminium and Copper

1) Heat transfer characteristics:

As the transfer of heat takes place in the coils, it's very important for the type of metal to have good heat transfer properties. Copper has a heat transfer coefficient higher than aluminum. That means, copper is a better heat exchanger than aluminum.

2) Cost and Pliability (how easily can you bend it):

Copper is more expensive than aluminum, which in turn increases the cost of making an air conditioner coil and thereby the overall price of the air conditioner. To reduce the unit cost of manufacturing Air Conditioners, aluminum has become the favorite choice of manufacturers.
Another factor to be considered is pliability. Aluminium as compared to copper, has a better ability to be bend into the shapes desired. Hence to make a coil of same size and shape, approximately three times more copper is required, making the process costlier.
However, to bring down the cost of AC with copper coils, thinner and thinner copper coils are being made now days.

3) Strength and reliability:

Copper is much easier to repair on field than aluminium. Many times, when aluminium coils are damaged they need replacement. The coils made out of copper are much more stronger than aluminium. Hence they are durable.

4) Ease of maintenance:

As the condenser coils are placed in the unit that is usually placed outside the house; it is exposed to harsh climates and dust and this needs regular cleaning for better functioning. Having said that, copper coils are easy to clean and maintain, as they are durable. While aluminium coils are not strong and so need to be kept in heavy-duty cabinet to protect them from damage. This makes them difficult to clean and maintain.

5) Corrosion:

Corrosion plays as very important role in determining the life of an Air Conditioner. Corrosion damages the coils that hampers the heat transfer process and also results in leakage. Hence it is very essential to protect the coils from corrosion. Corrosion damages are higher in humid climates and for people living near seacoasts and salty water bodies, as the moisture content in air is higher in such areas.
Due to these corrosion, a non-conducting layer is formed over the coils, which reduces its heat exchange capacity. Today many modern technologies have been developed to protect the coils against corrosion and thus increase the life of ACs.
For more helpful information on how to maintain a air conditioning system please visit faithheatingcooling.com.